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Successful Test for FIXI Crescent Suzuki

Team Suzuki Press Office – January 18. FIXI Crescent Suzuki has finished its first test of the 2013 eni FIM Superbike World Championship season in a positive mood after two days of promising testing.

Despite high-winds at the Almeria circuit in Spain today, Leon Camier completed the majority of his initial test programme, before the team ended the day early, as gusting winds made conditions very difficult. Camier used the new-spec 2013 engine for the Yoshimura-powered GSX-R today, but due to the weather conditions he was unable to make a complete evaluation of the latest motor. The Englishman is now looking forward to getting back on track at Jerez to continue with the pre-season testing.

Jules Cluzel continued to impress on only his second outing on a Superbike. He had a successful day as he continued to learn how the FIXI Crescent Suzuki GSX-R performs. Cluzel also improved on his lap-times – despite the conditions being a lot tougher than they were yesterday. The Frenchman had a small crash just before the team finished for the day, which resulted in a slight injury to his arm, but didn’t damage the excellent couple of day’s work he had already put in. Cluzel didn’t need any treatment to the wound and will be fully fit for the next time the team takes to the track.

FIXI Crescent Suzuki will now head across Spain to Jerez for a further two-day test on the 22nd and 23rd January, before returning to the team’s headquarters to prepare for the trip to Australia for the first round of the season in February.

Leon Camier:

“The weather today was awful; because it was so windy it made it difficult to do anything really meaningful. We managed to get a few jobs done and although we tried the new-spec engine, we couldn’t really understand the differences because of the conditions. I am now looking forward to Jerez and carrying on from the progress we have made here during these two days and trying out the 2013 engine properly.”

Jules Cluzel:

“I really enjoyed myself today, because I felt so much better on the bike than I did yesterday. I know I improved my lap-times and am not so far away now, so I am pleased with that on only my second day on the FIXI Crescent Suzuki GSX-R. The wind was really strong this afternoon and I had a little crash. I don’t know what happened really, it was a bit of a surprise so it might have been the wind. I am ok – just a small hole in my arm – but I’ll be all right for next week. We are going to Jerez now and I know the track well, so I think I’ll be able to go a bit quicker and get closer to the fastest riders.”